01. Cartrouble (Parts 1 and 2) (original vinyl version)
For the first time ever, we are treated the version that had originally appeared on the 1979 Do It Records release on vinyl and cassette. All previous CD's of this album have included either the tribalised single version or the Chris Hughes remix of Parts 1 and 2 (both included here also). Sadly, American issues of Dirk only ever had the single version. No release of this album can really be complete with out including this version.
02. Digital Tenderness
Adam's crisp and clear production coupled with superb remastering makes sure that every bit of percussion is heard clearly. But what really
happened at the 2min 26sec mark? Adam's vocal all of a sudden becomes much clearer, something that can also be detected on the 1979 release.
03. Nine Plan Failed
An awesome bass line and some great drumming dominate this track. Only remastering has made those "piss-weak tea and buns" taste much better.
04. Day I Met God
Just to be pedantic, it is worth pointing out that on the original release that was titled as
The Day I Met God, so for some reason, the first word gets dropped on the CD cover. When this album was first issued in the USA, this track (along with 2 others) were dropped from the album altogether. Rumour has it that it was to avoid any religious complications that could have resulted. But at last "coming back in the van" never sounded so good
05. Tabletalk
A sad tale about some guy called Adolf and his love for Geli Raubal, who was the daughter of his half-sister! (It does beg the question why "Gilly" is used in the lyrics.) In fact, his relationship with Geli was stormy and they began to accuse each other of being unfaithful. She was concerned about Eva Braun, a seventeen-year-old girl who Hitler took for rides. In 1931, he had a blazing row with Geli over her desire to spend some time in Vienna. Hitler was heard to shout at Geli as he was about to get into his car: "For the last time, no!" After he left Geli shot herself through the heart with a revolver. When he heard the news Hitler threatened to take his own life but was talked out of it by senior members of the Nazi Party. One consequence of Geli's suicide was that Hitler became a vegetarian. He claimed that meat now reminded him of Geli's corpse. Charming!
06. Cleopatra
Clearer bass, tambourine, and bells are just some of the noticeable difference with this classic. A gripping tale about the sexual habits of Egyptian queen Cleopatra. She famously loved to perform fellatio on the Romans, a fact that was gravely overlooked in the on screen portrayal of Anthony And Cleopatra, played by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. The original Human Hoover!
07. Catholic Day
The relationship between Marilyn Monroe and the then US President, J. F. Kennedy has been the source of much speculation for many years. Many conspiracy theories surround the circumstances of his death, some involving religion, drugs, the FBI. Everyone seems to remember where they were the day he was shot. Here Adam gives us his account. Due to its content, this song was dropped of the initial US release of this album.
08. Never Trust A Man (With Egg On His Face)
Probably one of the most popular of the Ants' tracks on Dirk. Poor Mrs. B. (or is she Mrs B. Stands?) has been told by E.T. to knock off her old man in front of the kids! I wonder what Mulder and Scully would have made of this? It's enough to put you off eggs for life!
09. Animals And Men
A ditty about the Italian originators of the Futurist Manifesto at the turn of the last century. The lyrics actually borrow from the movement's Families Of Noises which also the inspiration for the title of the next track.
10. Family Of Noise
You can clearly hear the snigger in Adam's voice as he sings "the family of noise is here...". And if you're still "searching for the pure sound", you don't have to travel to Croydon, as it's right here, freshly remastered.
11. The Idea
This track was 10 years ahead of its time with those acid bass effects. Another religious themed tune hinting at setting "the hymns to disco" - something that was made possible in 2004 with Carty's unofficial Holy Trinity remix. Beats "going to the zoo"
any day.
12. Zerøx
This was released as just a single in 1979 before Dirk was released, and was never meant to be included on the album. But, because of the
omission of two tracks on the first US version, Zerøx was one of the tracks dragged in. It was the second single by Adam And The Antz (after Young Parisians) and the sleeve featured a photo called "Image In Motion by Anton Bragalia. He was part of the Italian Futuristic movement and introduced a new style of photography called photo-dynamism.
13. Whip In My Valise
Again, this was never a Dirk track initially as it featured as the main b-side to the Zerøx single. Early demos and live versions are
a lot faster, but now the song is much slower. When the beating is being administered the song picks up its original pace before it slows back down again. The feedback would hint that Marco Pirroni is playing the guitars, but this was recorded prior to his meeting with Adam in 1980.
14. Kick! (original Do-It version - unreleased)
The sleeve incorrectly indicates that this version of Kick was included on the Antmusic EP/The B-Sides single release. In fact that version was remixed by Chris Hughes and does not appear here. Although it has turned up on the bootleg CD In Bondage. This version is the original un-remixed one with the extra guitar riff which can be heard throughout the intro and chorus. A first for Ant Fans.
15. Physical (original Do-It mis-pressed version - Zerøx b-side)
Again, the sleeve incorrectly indicates that this version of Physical was included on the Antmusic EP/The B Sides single release. That version has only ever appeared on the In Bondage bootleg CD. That aside, you have to have exceptionally good ears to notice that this version has an extra "ooh-ooh" after one of the "twist and twist and shout" lines. Apart from that it's identical The only time this version was ever released was on the 1980 pressings of the Zerøx single - even though the label read Whip In My Valise. Adam believed that Do It did it on purpose and made sure he got them back during his opening words on the 1980 CBS version of this song, which was the b-side of Dog Eat Dog and featured Marco on guitar.
16. Cartrouble (Parts 1 and 2) (Chris Hughes remix)
When Cartrouble was released as a single, the sleeve included the words "taken from the Antmusic EP". But at that time there was so such EP. It was only until after the Ants' success with the
Burundi sounds did Do It dig into their vaults to release a 12" single. They brought in a guy called Chris Hughes to remix 2 of the songs: Kick and Cartrouble (Parts 1 & 2). Two other songs were added that had been left off Dirk and this new remix of Cartrouble was divided into two
separate parts which appeared on separate sides of the 12". What we now have here is that very remix in it's full undivided glory. Although to be fair, it has also appeared on the Sony Rewind release of the Dirk CD in place of the original version. But, at least THAT version was a perfect one. If you listen closely to this remastered version at the 2 min 26 sec mark, you will hear the track speed up very briefly. Just a small chink in the armour.
17. Friends (original Do-It version - Antmusic EP/The B-sides)
Out of the four tracks that appeared on the Antmusic EP and The B-Sides single, this is the only one on this CD that was on it! A slower version than the CBS version recorded two years later with different lyrics, but this was one of those songs which always seemed to have different names in each version.
18. Cartrouble (single version)
Without the recording of this song, you would not be reading this now. This was re-recorded by Adam and Marco to
fulfill the contract he had with Do It to release one more single. But this time they had a new sound, and that was brought to life for the first time with new producer Chris Hughes. He also had a duel role as the drummer too, and later adopted the name Merrick as his stage name. Powerful, and recorded in Wales - what more could you possibly want?.
19. Kick! (single version - Cartrouble b-side)
This first appeared as the b-side to the Cartrouble single in 1980. Even though this featured Marco and was produced by Chris Hughes, it did not feature him on drums. Nor were the drums by Terry Lee as the single sleeve indicates. The mystery drummer on this version was none other than the soon to be Culture Club member Jon Moss. The only fault with this last track is that it doesn't quite start at the beginning. The very start is left behind at the end of Cartrouble.
